1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of display means for works of pure and commercial art. More specifically the present invention relates to a display apparatus for art works including a work support structure and an electric power circuit containing a low heat, full spectrum light source, oriented toward the work and a switch wired to a motion sensor oriented to detect the approach of a person, and upon detection to close the switch and thereby activate the light source to illuminate a work resting on the support structure.
For paintings, the work support structure includes a backboard having a forward face against which the painting is placed and a rearward face against which several flat lead batteries are removably mounted with conventional fasteners. For photographs, the work support structure includes housing, the upper portion of which is a generally rectangular translucent panel bent at its middle region into an inverted V-shape to present two opposing photograph mounting surfaces. The translucent panel fits onto a housing lower portion having generally triangular end walls sized and shaped to fit snugly across the interior of the translucent panel V-shape, and having front and rear walls shorter than the side walls so that the translucent panel completes and closes the front and rear of the housing, and having a removable bottom wall. The photographic images are inventively provided with high pigment intensity and selected brightened areas, for illuminated display. A painting print and photograph displaying embodiment is provided which displays a print or photographic image on only one, forward face. For this embodiment, the work support structure includes picture frame having a generally dish-shaped backpanel having at its center the light source as described above oriented to cast light forwardly through the photograph. For glass sculpture and specifically for crystal sculpture and for such as the commercial art found in high quality perfume bottles, the work support structure includes a cylindrical hollow pedestal containing the power circuit, with the light source oriented to cast light upwardly and with the motion sensor mounted in an opening in the front of the pedestal. The pedestal has a horizontal top wall with an upper wall on which the art work is placed, and the upper wall includes a diametrically elongate light passing opening.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have long been easels and wall mounted frames adjacent to incandescent light sources receiving power from electric cords plugging into wall sockets, for displaying and illuminating art works. Examples of prior art work lighting products are PICTURE LIGHTS(trademark) and PICTURE-LITE(trademark) of New World Lighting, Inc. A problem with these display means has been that the cords supplying power to the light sources are unsightly and detract from the atmosphere created at an art exhibition. Yet since power is needed to light the art works continuously throughout the day, the use of battery power sources is impractical because they would so frequently require replacing. Another problem is that the continuous illumination, in a sense, causes the art works to become part of the background and draw less notice.
Photographs having artistic content can be difficult to see well if displayed in a conventional frame, and present the same unsightly power cord problems identified above for paintings. By the same token, the subtleties in color and shape of glass sculpture and ornate glass product containers can be lost when they are simply placed on display pedestals, even when light is directed at them.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for mounting and displaying works of art, including an electric power circuit and light source oriented to cast light onto or through the art work, the light source being fluorescent and of very small diameter to illuminate quickly and converting a larger than average percentage of power supplied to it to light rather than heat, and thus emitting minimal heat while casting very bright light.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which includes a motion or heat sensor and switch combination in the power circuit to detect the approach of a potential viewer and thereupon close the switch to deliver power to the light source and illuminate the art work as the person approaches.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which prevents the typical loss of interest in a glass sculpture occurring when the purchaser takes the work from a shop in which it was well illuminated to his or her home in which there is only minimal illumination.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which includes a timer within the motion sensor and switch combination to open the switch after a pre-set length of time following the last detected movement, so that electric power is conserved to make batteries a practical power source and so that the attention of a potential viewer is drawn to the art work as he or she approaches the apparatus and work. This object in practical terms requires use of the rapid illumination light source mentioned in one of the previous objects, because a conventionally wide fluorescent bulb might not light at all before the timer duration elapsed and turned off power to the bulb.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which can illuminate photographs and prints of paintings with full pigment intensity, avoiding a color washout, and which can also radiate greater light intensity at selected locations on the photographs, such as where one would expect bright areas in the photograph images.
It is finally an object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and is attractive in appearance.
The present invention accomplishes the above-stated objectives, as well as others, as may be determined by a fair reading and interpretation of the entire specification.
A display apparatus is provided for an art work, including a work support structure on which the art work rests; a power source; and an electric power circuit containing a light source oriented toward the work and a switch wired to a motion sensor for detecting the approach of a person, and upon detection to close the switch and thereby activate the light source to illuminate the work.
The light source preferably is a low heat, substantially full visible spectrum light source. The light source preferably includes a fluorescent bulb and a reflector adjacent to the fluorescent bulb, the reflector being oriented relative to the fluorescent bulb to direct light from the fluorescent bulb toward the art work. The apparatus preferably additionally includes a timer, where the motion sensor is connected to the timer to shut off the switch a pre-set length of time after the moment of the last detected motion.
Where the art work is a painting, the work support structure preferably includes a backboard having a forward face against which the painting is placed and having a rearward face; and the power source includes a battery adjacent to the rearward face; and the circuit includes wiring extending from the battery to a pair of spaced apart conductive lead rods protruding forwardly beneath and perpendicular to the backboard, the having lead rod forward ends being interconnected by the light source, the light source being oriented to cast light toward the backboard forward face. The backboard has a lower end and the apparatus preferably additionally includes a protrusion at the backboard lower end having a protrusion port containing the motion sensor, the protrusion being notched to engage and support the painting lower edge.
Where the art work is at least one photograph, the work support structure preferably includes a housing having a housing upper portion including a substantially rectangular translucent panel bent at its middle region into an inverted V-shape to present two opposing photograph mounting surfaces; a housing lower portion onto which the translucent panel fits, the housing lower portion having substantially triangular end walls sized and shaped to fit across the interior of the folded the translucent panel, and having front and rear walls shorter than the end walls so that the translucent panel completes and substantially closes the housing, and having a removable bottom wall; where the light source is oriented to cast light upwardly into the folded the translucent panel and out through the translucent panel and through any photograph mounted against the translucent panel. The translucent panel preferably is formed of a clear acrylic. The power source preferably is a battery pack resting on top of the bottom wall, and the power circuit preferably includes wires extending from the battery pack to the light source and to the motion sensor, the timer and the switch. The motion sensor preferably is fit into a port within the housing front wall, surrounded by a photograph supporting protrusion.
The composite image photograph preferably includes a sheet having sheet forward and rearward faces and having corresponding mirror images printed on both of the forward and rearward faces for enhanced pigment intensity when illuminated. The photographic images include areas of reduced or increased pigmentation to permit more or less light, respectively, from the light source to pass through these areas. Alternatively, the composite image photograph may be a conventional photograph with an image on its forward face and a transparent film sheet placed behind the photograph having a reversed image aligned with the photograph image to produce the composite image when light is shined through the photograph and film.
Where art work is a photograph or a print of a painting the work support structure preferably includes a picture frame containing a frosted acrylic mounting panel for containing the art work and a substantially dish-shaped backpanel removably secured to the backboard, the backboard having the light source secured its center and oriented to cast light forwardly through the picture frame and through the work. The apparatus preferably additionally includes a backpanel propping stand secured to the backpanel for propping the backpanel upright on a table. The backpanel preferably has a battery recess and the power circuit preferably includes circuit wiring extending from the light source through the backpanel into the battery recess, and the power source is at least one battery secured within the battery recess.
Where the art work is a glass sculpture, the work support structure preferably includes a hollow pedestal containing the power circuit and the light source, the pedestal having a pedestal side wall and a pedestal top wall with a light passing opening, the light source being oriented to cast light upwardly through the light passing opening; the motion sensor being fitted through a motion sensor opening in the pedestal; so that activation of the light source by the motion sensor causes light to pass through the light passing opening into the art work resting on the top wall, and the light is defracted and scattered throughout the interior of the art work, illuminating and highlighting any corners, irregularities in configuration and tinting in the art work. The light passing opening is preferably elongate. The pedestal preferably includes a pedestal bottom wall which is removably fitted to the pedestal side wall for access to the light source and the power source. The power source preferably includes a wall outlet, a power cord extending from the wall outlet and a transformer between the wall outlet and power cord. The motion sensor, the switch, and the timer are optionally combined as a single unit.
A method of illuminating an art work is provided using the above described apparatus, including the steps of detecting the approach of a person with the sensor; activating the light source by operating the switch upon detecting the approach of a person to shine on the art work; and deactivating the light source by operating the switch with said timer after a certain length of time has passed following detection of a person approaching.